Wringer-controlling device



Jan. 12 1926.

Original Filed July 28. 1922 l Hull Patented Jan. 12, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,569,26r PATENT OFFICE.

` HARRY J. CRINER, or cLArriNnA, IOWA.

WRIN GER-CONTROLLIN G DEVICE.

Application led July 28, 1922, ferial No. 578,644. Renewed September 19,1925.

To @ZZ whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, HARRY J. CRINER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Clarinda, in the county of Page and State of Iowa, haveinventedrertain new and useful Improvements in lVringer-ControllingDevices, of which the following is a specification. y

My invention relates to wringer controlling devices, and has specialreference to that cla-ss of wringers which are mounted on a washingmachine frame, and which are known as swinging wringers. This class ofwringers are supported so as to be capable of adjust-ment in ahorizontal plane, so that the wringer can be brought into differentpositions for operation. Means is also provided for lockingsuch wringersfrom movement, when in such adjusted positions, and releasing the same,when desired. By means of other mechanism, the wringer can be started orstopped, and the direction of movement thereof reversed.

One of the purposes of the present in` vention is to simplify thecontrol mecha-v nism, so that by the use of a single operating devicethe wringer frame can be released, so as to be moved to a new position,or the operation of the wringer mechanism can be controlled.

Another purposev of the invention is to provide means associated with"said controlling element, for locking the wringer frame aga-instmovement when the mechanism thereof is in operation, and also forpreventing any action of the wringer devices when the position of thewringer frame is being changed.

The particular construction, arrangement, and operation of the parts bymeans of which the above objects may be attained will be more fullyapprehended from the following specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows t-he invention in front elevation, in its preferredembodiment.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the broken line 2-2 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a plan view, partly in section.

The reference number 1 represents a cylindrical casing, preferablyformed in two sections, one of which is removed in the drawings. At oneof its ends said casing is fitted with a plate 2, for attachment theretoof the frame of a wrnger of usual construction, v,and projecteddownwardly from said casing is a cylindrical member 3, provided at itslower end with an annular flange el, having aV sliding bearing on asimilar flange 5 on the upper part of. a column 6, which is rigidlysupported in any suitable manner lon the vmain frame of the machine. Inthe upper end of the partB is a be ring 7, upon which is rotatablymounted a collar 8, fixed to a vertical shaft 9, extending downwardlythrough the column 6, and forming the main driveshaft of thewringer-mechanism.

The member 3 has an extension 3a, pro- `iected a little distance intothe column 6, and giving greater strength to the joint between suchparts. On the upper end of the shaft 9 is fixed a bevel-gear wheel 10,above which is rotatably supported a shaft 11, upon which is looselymounted a pair of similar gear-wheels 12 and 13, in mesh with the wheel10, and constantly driven thereby, in opposite directions, whenever theshaft 9 is in movement. Between the wheels 12 and 13 a clutch member 14is feathered on the shaft Il, so as to be capable of alternativeengagement with the wheels 12 and 13, such engagement serving to turnthe. shaft 11 in one direction or the other, as desired, it beingunderstood that the shaft 11 is connected with, or an extension of, oneof the roller shafts of the wringer. l/Vhen the clutch member le ismid-way the wheels 12 and 13 it is in engagement with neither onethereof, and the shaft 1l is idle.

In the upper part of the casing 1 is a sleeve 15, through which passes arod 16,

provided on its upper end with an operators knob 17, which knob bearsaga-inst the sleeve 15, and limits the downward movement of the rod. Bymeans of said knob the rod can be rotated upon its axis, and can also beraised for a little distance in its seat. The lower end of said rodpasses through an opening in the flange el, and is adapted to enter anyone of a series of perforations 18 in the flange 5, so as to lock thepart 3 from rotation on thecolumn 6. The openings 18 are preferably fourin number, so as to permit the casing 1 to be locked from movement uponeach quarter-turn thereof, which is the usual arrangement of suchdevices.

Fixed to the rod 16, at a point opposite to the shaft l1, is a dog 19,the free end of which is positioned between the flanges of the clutch14:, whereby a partial rotation of the rod 16 in either direction willoperate to move the clutch in the same direction, into engagement withone or other of the wheels 12 and 13. Fixed in said rod, at a. pointjust above the dog 19, is a pin 20, adaptedI to enter a slot 21 in thesleeve 15, when the rod is moved upwardly. Such upward movement of therod serves to form a coupling between the rod and casing 1, locking suchrod from rotation. The upward movement of the rod also frees the lowerend thereof from the flange 5, and permits the wringer mechanism to beswung upon the shaft 9 as a center', until it occupies a new operativeposition. As soon as such swinging movement commences, the rod 16 isreleased, the end thereof sliding upon the flange 5, until it comes toanother of the openings 1S, which it enters, again locking the wringerframe from movement.

The slot 21 is so positioned that the pin 2O can enter the same onlywhen the dog 19 is at a right angle with the shaft 11, and with theclutch 111 at a neutral point on said shaft. lt will be evident,therefore, that with the rod 16 elevated, and held from rotation by saidpin and slot arrangement, a swinging movement of the dog 19 will beimpossible, and it will likewise be impossible to start the wringerdevices, or cause the same to operate in either direction, so long asYthe rod is locked from rotation. lt will also be noted that a completerelease of the pin 2O from the slot 21 can not loe had until the end ofthe rod 16 has entered one of the openings 18. The casing 1 and wringerframe are therefore locked against a swinging movement at such times asthe wringer devices are in operation. This precludes any danger of theoperator becoming confused in the operation of the machine, such asmight result in injury to such operator or the mechanism.

Attention is called to the fact that by means of the rod 16, andappurtenant devices, the control of the wringer devices can be effectedby one of the hands of the operator, the other hand being left free toswing the wringer frame, or perform other acts in connection with therunning of the machine.

lf desired, the sleeve 15 can be made an integral part of the casing 1,and other changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts ofthe invention can loe made, without departing from the purpose and scopethereof.

Vhat l claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is:

ln a wringer controlling device, a support, provided with a series oflocking means, at regular intervals thereon; a casing having a pivotalmounting on said support, and provided with means for the attachment ofa wringer frame thereto; a wringer operating shaft contained in saidcasing; reverse gearing mounted on said shaft, and provided withshifting devices for imparting the movement of said gearing to saidshaft to rotate the same, alternately, in Opposite directions; anoperators rod vertically supported in said casing, so as to be capableof a limited longitudinal movement, and also rotatable therein, the endof said rod beingl engageable with the locking means on said support, tohold said casing in adjusted positions; means connected with said rodfor engagement with said shifting devices, to actuate the same upon therod being suitably rotated; and means for holding said rod fromrotation, with said gearing out of action, when said rod is disconnectedfrom said locking means.

In testimony whereof I afiX my signature.

HARRY J. CRINER.

